Members of the Indian Medical Association's (IMA) Gujarat chapter on December 8 held state-wide protests against the government's notification allowing postgraduate students of Ayurveda to study and practice surgical procedures.

As part of the nationwide protest call, the IMA Gujarat staged protests and handed over memorandums to deputy collectors and mamlatdars, demanding the withdrawal of the Central Council of Indian Medicine's (CCIM) notification and dissolution of the NITI Aayog committees for integration of various systems of medicine. There are more than 28,000 registered members of Gujarat IMA, including 9,000 in Ahmedabad, who supported and took part in the protest, the secretary of IMA Gujarat said.

The IMA has also announced a token strike on December 11, where non-emergency and non-COVID-19 services will be withdrawn for 12 hours, he said. Doctors are demanding the withdrawal of the CCIM notification, which allows legal practice of surgeries by Ayurveda practitioners, and formation of four committees by NITI Aayog for the integration of all systems of medicine, which the IMA said will only lead to "mixopathy". "The IMA demands withdrawal of the CCIM order and dissolution of the NITI Aayog committees for integration. It appeals to the government to consider the sensitivity of the medical fraternity and take appropriate steps," the association stated in its memorandum.

The IMA will be constrained to intensify the agitation until steps towards implementing mixopathy are abandoned, the memorandum stated.